Where Could Minnesota Twins Spend $30 Million (or More) This Offseason?

The Pohlads just fired their scouting staff to save, what, a few hundred thousand dollars?  In what world are they spending $30m next year?

They're in cost cutting mode until their new investors are made whole.  It's really not that complicated.  They are much more likely, I'd even say probable, to cut $30m then spend it.

3 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

Nobody spends $400M on a sinking ship approach - has to be an expectation to be competitive via modest spending!

The investors are giving the Pohlads a loan to clear the $400m off their books, which was the impediment to them making the billions they feel they so richly deserve.  The debt was not Twins operating debt, but rather debt from their other failing real estate businesses that they sheltered with the Twins.  (Could also be stadium debt - the Pohlads hate spending their own money on anything.)  So their limited partners are paying off the debt for what I'm guessing is a healthy ROI, which the Pohlads can guarantee by cutting cost and maximizing their revenue share. 

This is a hedge fund or private equity investment. It has nothing to do with baseball.  The limited partners are investing $400m to make boatloads of money, not to win baseball games.  

17 minutes ago, Chembry said:

It wasn't a cost cutting move..

It was a cost cutting move.

Hayes points out in his report that a reduction in pro scouting departments is becoming a "trend" in Major League Baseball, but his source described the decision as "cost-cutting measures."

Are there 10 million Twins fans around the world that would be willing to contribute $3 each to make this $30,000,000 dream a reality?  Had to do it...enjoy the day all. 

54 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

‘26 PEN Scenario:

Prielipp - Sands - Raya - Funderburk - Topa - Adams - Matthews - Hensley (or like) & the spend is $8M more than today.

’26 ROTATION Scenario:

Lopez - Ryan - SWR - Ober - Bradley/Abel/Festa ………. one of which may end up in PEN.

Hensley may not be the guy? Somebody will be out there as a FA…….,to me, Matthews is another Varland with a bigger pitch mix. In short bursts from PEN he’d have elite velocity and brings backend upside!! Adams is best suited for an inning at a time.

To me, this staff works!!

   I wouldn’t give up on Mathews as a starter just yet. I don’t see a scenario where Lopez is not traded. A far as Festa is concerned it sounds like his career is in serious doubt do to Thorasic Outlet Syndrome.

Doesn't matter who they sign with the organization meaning ownership,FO and manager. The fan base is over anything they do. With this season now over they will be cutting payroll in the winter meetings. A smart organization would do a total rebuild like the White Sox or the Athletics. It's time to cut bait and bring up the youth and let them play with a manager and coaches to teach them the game.

I'm more looking forward to the article Ty France's Return and Other 2026 Potential Basement Bargains 

2 hours ago, JD-TWINS said:

Arraez has 168 hits and is hitting .287 - he’s got 3 batting titles prior. ……. not sure what constitutes a good season???

If you are looking for a slightly above replacement type player then by all means look to sign Arraez, My hope is that the vaunted Twins prospects are better than that. Is an infield of Lewis, Culpepper, Lee and Keaschall, better than an infield with Lewis, Lee, Keaschall and Arreaz? IDK, but give me option A. 

Like I said the Twins are in a tough position to sign FA, when they are supposed to have the prospects to feel the holes that are in the current lineup. 

I don't think we'll sign anyone other then waiver wire, DFA, minor league deal type relievers. Bring in a bunch of nobodies and hope a few will stick. We are probably trading one of Lopez or Ryan and will be calling up lots of prospects and minor leaguers. How long this rebuild will last all depends on how well our top prospects adapt to the majors. If we get lucky and Keaschal doesn't have a sophomore slump and guys like Jenkins, Rodriguez, Gonzalez, Culpeper and maybe Fedko work out, we could have a real interesting lineup. Our pitching is what will take some work. None of our upper level minors pitchers had a very good year in 25. We need guys like SWR, Zebby, Bradley and Abel to stick as starters. Guys like Adams, Festa, Raya and Prelipp are probably relievers. Most likely a long losing season, but should still be fun watching all the major league debuts and players of the future.... hopefully...

Twins are already having a tough time filling all their radio and tv ad spots.  On TV instead of an ad break its a conversation with someone in the dugout, Audra talking with someone in the crowd or a warning track walk with a player.  This happens at least twice per broadcast.  On radio it is the same as there are usually at least two breaks where they don't play ads.  Good Luck with that next year.

In the first place, free agents are not going to want to come to Minneasota due to the lack of competitive nature.  So that leaves the left overs who can't get a deal elsewhere.  So the Twins will probably sign a bargain basement 1B, trade Lopez and Ryan and have around 60M to sign 50 or 60 RP's to minimum contracts throughout the year.

More seriously, I think the Twins shoud fire Rocco and hire a former RP with pitching coach experience to manage the team.  Someone like Carl Willis.  Or maybe a former catcher with minor league coaching experience and good fundamental teaching skills.  

More realistically,  the front office will probably pretend to go after some good FAs but purposely fail in those attempts and then blame the fans due to lack of support for the team, hoping that the shame and feelings of guilt will bring the people back to the park.  Is there any more ways for the team to increase toxicity between the team and the fans?

But hey, I'm not going to get discouraged.  We will be good again someday, probably not in my lifetime but maybe when there is peace in the world and common sense become normal again.  Oh boy, I may need to go take my pills.  Have a good day.

Does anybody know if they are actually required to fill all 26 spots on the active roster?  I would expect to save a buck they'll try to play with Buxton and a bunch of no-names.  

This year they sent people down before calling up others to save a buck - next year they might just forget to call people up?

I predict a payroll closer to $75M than $100M+

4 hours ago, Chembry said:

The only reason this it’s viewed as a cost cutting measure is because it’s the Twins and the Pohlads.  I am not a Pohlad apologist, I want them gone as well, but this move in particular isn’t a cost cutting measure.

 

 

 

It's viewed as a cost cutting measure because a Twins source told Hayes it was a cost cutting measure.  

The claim is that the $400M is all Twins/ballpark related debt. I don't know whether that's true since the Pohlads have given us no reason to trust them. I fully expect that when the debt is paid down in a few years the team will be up for sale again.

My guess is it'll be somewhere close to 3 Joey Gallos.

The Twins aren't going to spend 30mil on FA's. They just aren't. Lopez, Ryan, Jeffers and maybe even Ober are likely to be gone cutting about 45mil from payroll. If the players association makes a stink about it they will make the claim that they are losing 40mil this year and attendence is sagging. My best bet is they make more trades lowering payroll and overpay on some long has been veterans. They know they aren't competing, think the past 6 weeks, so why sign high priced good players?

Old friend Taylor Rogers  would be a good pickup this offseason. He and his brother Tyler could probably both be acquired decently cheaply, and we all know they could use the bullpen help. I don't know how much money the Pohlads would spend, but either of those two along with maybe reunited with Danny Couloumbe could be cheap and could really bolster a weak 2026 rotation. I doubt that any of those three would have to be paid more than 5 million.